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Wolves look to be finally making some progress with regards to signing a new striker, with the latest reports suggesting that Goncalo Ramos could arrive at Molineux this summer.

What’s the word?

After a disappointing season in front of goal, which saw the Old Gold manage just 38 goals in the Premier League, signing a striker was always going to be the priority for Bruno Lage ahead of next season.

Raul Jimenez has sadly not been the same player since his fractured skull, while Fabio Silva is set to join Anderlecht on loan after failing to find the back of the net in 25 appearances last season.

However, it seems as if a replacement for the teenager could soon be on the way, with reports suggesting that Wolves are set to reopen talks with Benfica over a move for the 21-year-old Ramos.

Lage’s dream

Considering Lage worked at Benfica, with both the academy and senior sides, he will already know what Ramos is capable of.

The youngster was prolific in Benfica’s youth sides and has contributed an impressive 14 goals in his 59 appearances for the senior side thus far, including eight in all competitions last season.

Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig was quick to spot Ramos’ ability in 2020, documenting his impressive goalscoring record for both the senior and youth sides, dubbing him “incredibly prolific”.

The Portuguese forward certainly knows where the back of the net is and considering Jimenez finished as Wolves’ top scorer in the Premier League last season with just six goals, Lage needs a player of Ramos’ ability at Molineux next season if his side are to progress.

Ramos is not just a goalscorer, however, as WhoScored suggests that his main strengths include holding onto the ball, dribbling and his defensive contribution, which suggests that he could be an effective target man in the mould of Jimenez at Molineux.

Given Wolves desperately need some attacking reinforcements this summer and Ramos is a player well-known to Lage, the 21-year-old could be the dream signing for the Old Gold manager, and supporters will be hoping that their side can strike a deal with Benfica.

And, in other news… Huge blow: Journalist reveals big Wolves transfer twist, Lage will be gutted

Everton have only made one signing so far but continue to be linked with a number of players this summer, and now an update has emerged on an offer made for a new transfer target.

What’s the latest?

According to Italian journalist Gianluigi Longari, Everton have made a loan offer for Tottenham Hotspur defender Japhet Tangana.

Longari tweeted:

“Many admirers for Tanganga as anticipated last month. Milan but also Napoli closely follow the central of the THFC which also has requests on loan from the Premier as Southampton and Everton. An Italian adventure teases the English defender.”

Frank needs him badly

It is no secret that Everton struggled in the Premier League last season with a relegation scrap that left the side vulnerable to a drop into the Championship, but ultimately they managed to secure survival on the penultimate game of the season.

There were a number of issues Frank Lampard’s squad faced over the season with the side suffering a major injury crisis for the majority of the season and having the worst injury record per 1,000 minutes in the Premier League, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin in particular missing the majority of the season through injury.

Not only did the Toffees suffer a number of injury issues to key players, their performances on the pitch were atrocious and the side ended the season conceding 23 more goals than they scored with Jamie Carragher branding the Everton defence “a Championship back four”.

As a result, it’s clear Lampard needs to address and improve the team’s defensive play, and signing Tanganga could be a great opportunity to do so.

Despite the 6 foot 1 monster’s limited game time with Spurs, he has proven that he can offer fantastic defensive attributes and reliability in the back-line when he has been given the opportunity to play.

Last season over 11 Premier League appearances, Tanganga who was hailed “really special” by Gary Neville made 1.3 tackles, 2.7 clearances and won 3.8 duels on average per game, as well as being successful in completing the majority of his dribble attempts too (71%).

With that being said, the signing of Tanganga could be a major coup for Everton as they attempt to rectify their issues and improve ahead of next season, and the 23-year-old could gain more game time and development at Goodison Park.

AND in other news: Alan Myers delivers seven-word Everton transfer claim that’ll leave supporters excited

Bruno Andrade has dropped an update on reported Tottenham Hotspur transfer target Richarlison.

What’s the talk?

In a recent post on Twitter, the UOL Esporte journalist revealed that, following numerous reports claiming that Antonio Conte is extremely keen on a move for the Everton centre-forward this summer, talks between Fabio Paratici and the Toffees transfer team regarding a deal for the 25-year-old are already well underway.

The Brazilian reporter went on to state that negotiations between the two Premier League clubs have so far been positive, with an agreement in the region of £60m expected to be reached – despite Chelsea also pursuing a deal for the Brazil international.

In his tweet, Andrade said: “Richarlison: Despite Chelsea’s interest, talks between Tottenham and Everton are moving in a positive light. With the Brazilian striker, there is already a negotiation well underway. Agreement should be around £60m (in principle, without involving players in exchange).”

Conte will be buzzing

With it being reported that Conte had identified Richarlison as his primary attacking target in the summer transfer window, Andrade’s claim that Paratici is now closing in on an agreement for the striker is sure to have left the 52-year-old manager buzzing.

And, it is not difficult to understand why the Italian is so keen on a deal to bring the 25-year-old to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium ahead of the new Premier League campaign, as Richarlison’s impressive positional versatility, as well as his fantastic returns in the final third, would appear to make him something of a perfect fit for Conte’s front three.

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Indeed, despite Everton’s struggles last season, the £60m-rated attacker still managed to catch the eye over his 30 Premier League appearances, scoring ten goals, registering five assists and creating seven big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.4 shots, making 1.0 key pass and completing 1.3 dribbles per game.

These metrics saw the £90k-per-week forward – who is 7.02, ranking him as Frank Lampard’s best performer in the league last time out.

However, 2021/22 was not the first top-flight campaign in which Richarlison returned eye-catching numbers for the Toffees, with the 36-cap international having bagged 13 goals and two assists over 34 appearances in 2020/21.

As such, with it being plain for all to see that Richarlison is a versatile and Premier League-proven attacking outlet, Conte’s interest in the former Watford hitman should come as no surprise to the Tottenham faithful, while it is also clear to see why Andrade’s latest update on Paratici’s move for the 25-year-old forward will delight the Italian manager.

AND in other news: Paratici now given green light for “unreal” £43m Spurs signing, it’s Kulusevski 2.0

According to a German source, Southampton are now lining up a move to sign Stuttgart striker Sasa Kalajdzic.

The Lowdown: Kalajdzic’s uncertain future

The 24-year-old first joined the Bundesliga outfit from Admira Wacker back in 2019, but only has 12 months left on his current contract at the Mercedes-Benz Arena, meaning that this will be the last opportunity for Pellegrino Matarazzo’s side to cash in.

Stuttgart’s sporting director Sven Mislintat admitted just last month that he will find it difficult to keep hold of the forward amid interest from across Europe, and in a new update, the Saints have been name-checked as just one of the multiple clubs interested in securing his signature.

The Latest: Southampton register interest

In a new article published by German outlet Bild (via Sport Witness), it’s claimed that Southampton are ‘interested’ in Kalajdzic and have ‘joined’ Premier League rivals Brighton in the chase for his services.

Stuttgart are demanding a fee in the region of €25m (£21.5m) for his sale, as they ‘need transfer income’ to help aid financial difficulties.

The report adds that Bayern Munich were also in the race for the Austrian, but that talks between the two parties have ‘stalled’, with interest now coming from the English top-flight.

The Verdict: The whole package

With Armando Broja having returned to parent club Chelsea following the conclusion of his loan spell on the south coast, not to mention the fact that Shane Long is expected to make an exit in the coming weeks, Southampton will be making the hunt for a new striker a priority this window.

Kalajdzic, who was once dubbed a “crazy” aerial threat by journalist Marcel Reif, could be the ideal man to come in and boost Ralph Hasenhuttl’s attacking ranks, having netted six goals and provided two assists in just 15 appearances in an injury-hit season (Transfermarkt).

Standing at a staggering 6 foot 7, the Vienna-born talent has a huge height advantage up top and so could prove to be a real handful for opposition defenders if he were to make the move to St. Mary’s before the start of the new campaign.

Manchester City are said to be interested in Juventus’ Matthijs de Ligt.

What’s the word?

That is according to Sport Witness, who have relayed a report from Calciomercato.

As per the report, De Ligt’s deal at Juventus expires in the summer of 2024 and includes a release clause of €120m that is valid across this summer.

It is said that the Serie A giants are looking to extend his contract, but if the 22-year-old was to extend his stay in Turin, he would see his annual salary drop from €12m to €7.5m including bonuses.

Both Manchester United and Manchester City have shown interest in the Dutch centre-back, though no formal offers have been made as of yet.

An offer in excess of €70m (£60m) is said to be enough to start negotiations with the Old Lady, though Sport Witness quite aptly point out that both Manchester sides could be being used by De Ligt and his representatives to put pressure on Juve to improve their offer.

The new Kompany

De Ligt was described as an “oil tanker” by the late Mino Raiola, with the super-agent having said:

“Matthijs is like an oil tanker, you can’t expect him to suddenly turn 90 degrees. He goes steadily. But, once he’s on course, he can’t be stopped.”

And quite simply, it is an astute analogy that encapsulates the 22-year-old’s defensive style in a nutshell.

He is perhaps a more clunky defender like Kompany in terms of an athletic comparison to the existing options at Manchester City, though his defensive awareness and subsequent reliability at the back, similarly to the now Burnley manager, is a real plus point.

De Ligt is rarely embarrassed at the back, registering 0.00 errors per 90, being dribbled past just 0.25 times and occupying a successful pressure percentage of 41.5% – with all three aforementioned metrics placing him within the 83rd to the 92nd percentile, as per FBref.

Though, with Pep’s recent preference in playing natural-footed centre-backs to their corresponding position in a back-four (e.g – left-footed Laporte on the left, and right-footed Dias on the right), there is not much need for the 22-year-old in the Premier League’s joint-best defence.

And it could be argued that Txiki has already found City’s new Kompany-type-figure in club captain Dias.

In other news: Man City now in positive talks to sign £50m “destroyer”, Pep will be delighted 

There has been a fresh development in Celtic’s pursuit of Manchester City-owned defender Ko Itakura…

What’s the word?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph offered the Hoops renewed hope regarding a deal, having revealed that they are now “back in the frame” for the Japan international.

He said: “Itakura is someone they’ve been tracking for quite some time and they wanted him in last season, actually, but he chose to go on loan to Schalke, and Celtic are back in the frame for him because Schalke weren’t able to pay the €6m option to buy. Celtic might look to do a loan with an option to buy there.”

The Old Firm outfit have been heavily linked with a swoop for the 25-year-old – whose contract expires next summer – in recent times, having first been tipped to make a move for the 12-cap gem last summer, prior to his eventual temporary switch to Schalke.

As Joseph alluded to, however, the versatile centre-back is not set to stay with the newly-promoted Bundesliga side next term, with the German outfit having confirmed that they cannot afford to pay the required fee.

Bye-Bye Jullien

It looks as if the Glasgow side could be set to prise yet another player from the Etihad, having previously brought in the likes of Patrick Roberts, Dedryck Boyata and Jeremie Frimpong – among others – from the Premier League champions over the years.

Like most on that list, however, Itakura can hardly even be considered a City player, having been shipped out on loan for the whole of his time at the club since joining from Kawasaki Frontale in January 2019.

Despite the lack of action at his parent club, the £3.15m-rated colossus has impressed during those temporary stints away from Manchester, first catching the eye at Dutch outfit Groningen, where he was dubbed “one of the very best central defenders in the Eredivisie” by pundit Haans Kray.

The most recent campaign saw him also flourish for Schalke in 2. Bundesliga, chipping in with four goals in his 31 league outings, while also averaging an impressive 1.4 interceptions, 1.4 tackles and three clearances, winning 61% of his total duels and enjoying a solid 87% pass accuracy rate.

His potential arrival could then ensure a departure for the Hoops’ current centre-back Christopher Jullien, with the Frenchman having fallen drastically out of favour since his return from injury at the turn of the year.

Despite his return to fitness, the 29-year-old only managed to make just a solitary appearance in all competitions under Ange Postecoglou, with the title-winning coach favouring the “immense” pairing – as dubbed by Chris Sutton – of Carl Starfelt and Cameron Carter-Vickers.

With the latter man recently putting pen to paper to turn his loan stint into a permanent move, Jullien is seemingly set to remain on the periphery, with the potential incoming of Itakura likely to be the final nail in the coffin, amid reports of a possible return to Ligue 1 for the former Toulouse man.

IN other news, Deal Imminent: Celtic “very close” to big summer move, it’d be Ange’s best swoop yet

According to a report from West Ham insiders Claret and Hugh in the last 48 hours, Jarrod Bowen will not be leaving the club this summer.

The Lowdown: Interest in Bowen

The 25-year-old first made the switch to the Premier League in a £20m move from Hull City back in 2020, where he’s since gone on to become a fan favourite, making 104 appearances in just two years.

Even though his current contract with the Irons isn’t set to expire until 2025, the forward’s impressive performances this season appear to have caught the eye. It was reported last weekend that Arsenal are interested, while Liverpool have also been linked.

The Latest: Bowen staying at West Ham

In a new article published by Claret and Hugh, it’s claimed that Bowen will ‘absolutely not’ be joining Arsenal, with a West Ham source confirming to the website that the Leominster-born talent ‘won’t be leaving’ in the coming weeks.

It’s further stated that the winger was indeed attracting additional attention from the likes of Tottenham and Liverpool, but the insider yet again reiterated that there is ‘no chance’ and he would cost £100m to shift this summer.

The Verdict: Huge boost for Moyes

The news that Bowen won’t be departing will come as a huge boost to David Moyes, who will know just how much of an influence the starlet has in his starting XI, especially given his scintillating form this campaign.

The £80k-per-week gem found the back of the net 18 times and registered 11 assists across all competitions, making him the club’s top goalscorer and ranking joint-first with Michail Antonio for the latter, via BBC Sport.

Bowen’s achievements on the pitch have also been recognised by Gareth Southgate of late, having recently made his England debut, and if he continues to progress, he will become just as important of a player for the Three Lions as he is for the Hammers in years to come.

In other news… a reliable journalist has backed West Ham to make a summer move for a Premier League midfielder.

Former Premier League striker Noel Whelan has made an intriguing claim regarding the future of Glasgow Rangers midfielder Joe Aribo. 

The lowdown: Wanted man

This comes following a report from Football Insider claiming that some English top-flight clubs are ‘keeping tabs’ on the 25-year-old ahead of a potential summer swoop.

Since then, former Gers boss Steven Gerrard has been linked with forming a reunion with Aribo at Aston Villa, despite the 19-cap Nigeria international insisting that he is ‘not thinking about leaving’ in the upcoming transfer window.

With just one year remaining on his deal at Ibrox (Transfermarkt), the Rangers hierarchy certainly have a decision to make over the player’s future, and one onlooker has had his say on what could happen next…

The latest: Whelan sounds Aribo warning

Speaking to Football Insider, ex-Aberdeen striker Whelan has suggested that Aribo could be playing to the gallery with his latest comments.

The one-time BBC pundit said: “I don’t think he’s going to want to overcommit to anything, is he? He’s going to take his time. I think he’s earned that right with the performances he’s put in for Glasgow Rangers.

“Look, he’s in a very good position and he knows that. He’s been looked at by some top English clubs – even his old manager in Steven Gerrard at Aston Villa. It’s not an easy one, but he’s in the strongest position. He knows he’s got a year left.

“He’s in that place, one year left, where he can possibly force Rangers’ hand and get them to sell.”

The verdict: Tough call

With nine goals and 10 assists in 57 appearances across all competitions, Aribo was certainly firing on all cylinders in the 2021/22 campaign, and it’s no surprise that clubs from south of the border would be taking a closer look at the London-born maestro.

However, Rangers either need to tie down the man hailed for a ‘sensational’ strike in a resounding 4-1 victory over Dundee United in February 2021, or else cash in this summer in order to achieve maximum incomings from their £9m-valued asset.

While the 25-year-old is clearly an integral part of Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s plans given how much he played this season, keeping Aribo beyond the summer with no new deal would leave the Glasgow giants in a dangerous position, as they then risk losing a healthy influx of money and a key player for nothing in 12 months’ time.

In other news: Alex McLeish has had this to say on Nikola Katic’s Ibrox return

Rangers defender Connor Goldson has signed a new contract at Ibrox in a huge blow to Nottingham Forest’s transfer plans.

The Lowdown: Goldson pens new deal

The 29-year-old first completed the switch to Glasgow from top-flight side Brighton and Hove Albion back in 2018, where he put pen to paper on a four-year deal, making a staggering 222 senior appearances for the club since that time.

The centre-back’s spell with Gio van Bronckhorst’s side looked to be coming to an end this summer, but the Gers shocked fans on Wednesday by announcing a four-year extension.

The Latest: Forest were about to move

The Scottish Sun revealed late on Monday night that the Reds were about to ‘step up’ their interest in Goldson.

Steve Cooper is said to be ‘huge fan’ of the player and the Premier League new boys were ‘ready to make their move’.

The Verdict: Huge blow

The 1-0 victory against Huddersfield Town in the play-off final at Wembley last weekend will see the club receive an astonishing £170m cash boost for making the jump up to the top division.

Goldson, once dubbed an “incredible” player by former Gers boss Steven Gerrard, would have been a superb way to start off their summer business, immediately granting Cooper one of his top targets without paying a penny on transfer fees due to his contract situation.

Averaging 3.3 clearances and 1.2 tackles per league game this season, via WhoScored, he’s been an absolute rock in Rangers’ back-line, also racking up 13 Europa League appearances.

A reunion with Joe Worrall would have provided Cooper with a truly solid pairing of two colossal defenders ready to take the top flight by storm, but the manager will now have to look elsewhere for defensive reinforcements, and it’s extremely unlikely he’ll find one he likes so much on a Bosman deal.

Journalists Liam Kennedy and Jordan Cronin have revealed the list of players that Newcastle United might seek to move on from the club this summer.

The Lowdown: Newcastle’s 2022 revival

Exactly halfway through the season, Newcastle were 19th in the Premier League with just one win and 11 points from 19 games, staring relegation in the face.

A busy transfer window in January saw the arrivals of Bruno Guimaraes, Kieran Trippier, Dan Burn, Matt Targett and Chris Wood at St James’ Park. Fuelled by these new additions, the Magpies went on a sensational run of form in the first few months of 2022, remarkably ending the season in 11th place with a total of 49 points, averaging two points per game in the second half of the campaign.

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The Latest: Summer exits expected

Following the club’s success in the January transfer market, PIF will surely be looking to build upon this again in the summer. However, this time around, it is expected that a whole host of players will need to make way for the new arrivals.

Kennedy revealed in a Newcastle World Q&A that, whilst the majority of departures are to be expected, Jamal Lewis is set to be handed another chance at St James’ Park

He stated: “This list is getting quite lengthy. And I think we all know the candidates. So instead, I will list one player who I think might stay, despite it appearing as if he is heading out the exit door. Howe is keen to take a look at Jamal Lewis this summer, and depending on what happens in the market, he may well get a second chance at Newcastle.

“In my opinion, a player with all the tools to succeed, just needs a lot of decent coaching – and let’s be honest, that wasn’t forthcoming before Howe walked through the door.”

Taking a different approach, fellow journalist Cronin name-checked a few players that Eddie Howe could jettison during the summer.

He claimed: “Since Liam didn’t write the list of potential departures, I will… Yes, the most obvious are Freddie Woodman, Ciaran Clark, Federico Fernandez, Jeff Hendrick, Isaac Hayden and Dwight Gayle. I wouldn’t rule out others departing however – Miguel Almiron for example, i.e. a player you might not expect to go.”

The Verdict: Busy summer ahead

If Newcastle are to keep buying high-quality players who require substantial transfer fees, then it will be important that the club can offload some of the deadwood early in the window, so that the board have enough time to secure their transfer targets and stick within Financial Fair Play parameters.

Therefore, numerous incomings and outgoings are expected at St James’ Park this summer, as Howe looks to carry the positive momentum from 2022 so far into the forthcoming season as the Magpies potentially eye up a European finish.

In other news: Newcastle United: Journalists address Lucas Paqueta transfer links